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FAIRFIELD, Conn.The Fairfield Organic Teaching Farm will not be coming to Hoydens Hill after all. Pamela Jones, the groups executive director, announced Tuesday night that the farm will withdraw its application for a lease on town-owned land near the Hoydens Hill Open Space.
Jones had been negotiating with the town for two acres of space on Hoydens Lane, near the Fairfield Little League Girls Softball field approved for next spring. Her group planned to use the land to establish the Fairfield Organic Teaching Farm, which would teach Fairfields students and volunteers about sustainable agriculture. (Click on the video above to learn more about their mission.)
The group received approval from the Conservation Commission on July 21. But neighbors and others expressed concerns about using town-owned land for the project and the possible effects it could have on the wildlife in the area. The Board of Selectman suggested reviewing a new lease and sending the proposal through the town boards again. The farm instead decided to back out of the deal.
Two growing seasons have come and gone since the Fairfield Organic Teaching Farm first approached the town with its proposal, Jones said in a statement released Tuesday. Since then similar production gardens have been started in Westport and Bridgeport with strong town-government support.
The Fairfield Organic Teaching Farm has decided to cancel its upcoming Harvest Supper fundraiser because of the recent change. Jones and her group will continue to help organize programs at Fairfields elementary schools and local libraries, and will keep looking for a home for their farm.
What do you think about the Fairfield Organic Teaching Farm canceling its plans to put a farm on Hoydens Lane? Share your ideas in the comments below.
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